Big Brother 12 Media *Possible Spoilers*

Here is an article I found today. There were indeed supposed to be 14 houseguests, but one of them left sequester early.

Meet the 'Big Brother 12' houseguests

By DERRIK J. LANG (AP) – 34 minutes ago

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — Who is the "Big Brother" saboteur?

That's the question that will no doubt consume contestants on the 12th edition of CBS' voyeuristic reality TV series that confines a group of strangers — or houseguests, as they're known on "Big Brother" — inside a makeshift two-story domicile for the summer, all while being constantly monitored by over 50 video cameras and 95 microphones.

This season, executive producer Allison Grodner and her team have planted a mole among the houseguests to do viewers' bidding and disrupt the players' lives during "Big Brother 12," which debuts July 8 at 8 p.m. EDT. Grodner said the saboteur, who will be revealed to viewers on the July 15 episode, isn't eligible to win the $500,000 grand prize.

"For the first time ever, we have someone in the house who, in a way, is playing their own game," said Grodner, who stressed that the operative is not an actor but a real person who was picked alongside everyone else. "They're playing for a cash prize, if they make it a certain amount of time in the house. If they don't last, they're out, and their cover is blown."

Such surprises are a staple of the "expect the unexpected" franchise. The traitorous twist is similar to the eighth season introduction of "America's Player," which allowed one contestant to complete viewer-voted tasks for cash, unbeknownst to his house mates. This time, however, the cast will be made aware of the trickster's existence beforehand.

Among the suspects is Andrew Gordon, a 39-year-old Orthodox Jewish podiatrist from Miami. Gordon will be taking his own cooking utensils into the house and will observe Shabbat, not using electricity from sundown Friday until Saturday night. Grodner said no special exceptions will be made for Gordon's religious beliefs when it comes to the game.

"It's already going to be tough in that house, so it's going to be even tougher dealing with these extra little things," he said. "People are probably going to look at me as an outsider and wonder what I'm doing and why I'm not eating their food. It's something I've had to explain my whole life as a practicing Jew. Whatever happens, I'll deal with it."

Before meeting their competitors or entering the house, the houseguests were individually interviewed by The Associated Press while voluntarily sequestered — no TV, newspapers or telephones — from the outside world. (This season was originally slated to feature 14 contestants, but one person dropped out before the contest and will not be replaced.)

"I live my life full of adventure," said Annie Whittington, a 27-year-old bartender from Tampa, Fla., who dyed her platinum hair brunette at the insistence of producers because there were too many blondes this season. "I never thought I'd actually make it on the show. I love the social experiment, throwing in random people where they can't escape."

Kathy Hillis, a 40-year-old deputy sheriff from Texarkana, Ark., doesn't think competing and deceiving on "Big Brother" will be tougher than fighting crime or battling ovarian cancer. Hillis, who has been cancer free for 11 years, lied to her 23-year-old son and told him she was going on an undercover assignment in another city, not on reality TV.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," said Hillis. "He knows I've applied in the past, and he thinks it's funny."

"My strategy is to go in there and hustle them," said Rachel Reilly, a 26-year-old cocktail waitress and chemistry graduate student from Las Vegas. "I'm not going to let them know at first that I'm an intelligent girl who is into chemistry. I'm going to let them think I'm just this ditzy cocktail waitress from Las Vegas who doesn't know anything."

This season, the Florida-themed "Big Brother" dwelling, which is located on a Studio City sound stage, features several beachy touches, including an indoor room resembling a cabana and a pair of colossal fake palm trees. Grodner said the "have not" bedroom, an uncomfortable enclave where players who lose "have not" competitions are relegated, will return.

"It's sort of the dark-side of the decor this year," teased Grodner, who said the nightmarish space would be revealed during the July 11 episode. "We have a very fun South Beach kind of vibe going on throughout the house this season, and this room is the opposite of all that. I would venture to say it's worse than last year, which was pretty bad."

Re: Big Brother 12 Media *Possible Spoilers*

All About the Cast of Big Brother
June 30, 2010

The last season of Big Brother divided the house into cliques that would make the toughest high school student cringe. After crowning a winner — Jordan Lloyd — who was one-part chest bump, three parts Jeff Schroeder and a healthy dose of “aw shucks,” this season of BB introduces “the saboteur” when it premieres July 8 on CBS. In a series first, thirteen house guests walk in with one determined to wreak havoc on people who are either “peers” or “pawns.” Here’s a look at six standouts (the first two are pictured) going into the “den of Chen” for season 12:

BRENDON VILLEGAS: A high school swim coach from Riverside, Calif., Villegas, 30, will soon pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical physics. Though he describes himself as “very much a nerd,” he’s really a combination of brains, brawn and brown-eyed good looks. “My goal is to not intimidate the guys and to be flirty with the girls,” says Villegas, who may be up for a showmance. “The girl that is down-to-earth and sweet is going to be the biggest challenge for me.”

RACHEL REILLY: A graduate student in chemistry and VIP cocktail waitress from Las Vegas, Reilly, 26, has a secret weapon — or two. “Most people look at me and think that I’m just a hot girl with big boobs,” she says. “I can manipulate men and the bikinis that I brought are not even the size of my palm. They’re super tiny! I’m going to hustle them with my Vegas-cocktail personality.”

KATHY HILLIS: A deputy sheriff-sergeant from Texarkana, Ark., Hillis, 40, is the only contestant who has (legally) ordered someone to “cough and drop.” But this single mom, who has survived cancer, has a simpler motto: “Never give up, never give in and never use the word defeat,” she says. “When my grandma was terminally ill, we would watch BB together and … I promised her that I would [try out for the show] when we both got better. And though I got better, she didn’t [so] I’m going win it for Grandma!”

ENZO PALUMBO: An insurance adjuster from Bayonne, N.J., Palumbo, 32, is happy to wear a stereotype on his sleeve and “shore” up that Jersey “situation.” His message to fans: “When I get into that house, competition is going to be served like my mother’s baked ziti,” he says. “That is how I am going to be playing this game.”

ANNIE WHITTINGTON: A bartender from Tampa, Fla., Whittington, 27, says she may keep her bisexuality a secret. “There may be some more close-minded people in the house and I don’t want to be judged,” she says. “There are so many more facets to my character … I don’t think who I sleep with should be that important to anybody.”

MATT HOFFMAN: A Web designer from Elgin, Ill., Hoffman, 32, is quick to list his strengths — “My tattoos, coming into BB, are my greatest asset,” he says, “along with being a genius.” — as well as a weakness. “One of my worst character traits is the fact that I can be really condescending,” he reveals. “It’s something that I’ve tried to work on but everyone aggravates me.”

And the rest of the cast…

Kristen Bitting, 24: “I am a quiet storm,” says the boutique manager from Philadelphia. I don’t think there is anyone on reality TV quite like me.”

Hayden Moss, 24: “Athletically, I’m pretty gifted, so the physical competitions are going to be in the bag,” says the college student from Tempe, Ariz. “Also, I’m smarter than I look.”

Britney Haynes, 22: “I’ll pretend to be nice and always a bit elusive,” says the hotel sales manager from Huntington, Ariz. “People want what they can’t have and I’ll give them just enough.”

Andrew Gordon, 39: “Live for today because tomorrow will be yesterday soon,” says the podiatrist from Miami Beach. “Say anything, do anything, just don’t let them know and trust no one.”

Ragan Fox, 34: “I party as hard as I work, and I grew up gay in Texas,” says the college professor from West Hollywood, Calif. “If you want to get crazy with me — and I opt to go crazy — then you’re in trouble.”

Monet Stunson, 24: “I come off as really sweet and innocent,” says the model from Glen Carbon, Ill. “People won’t expect that I would lie to their face and stab them in the back to win.”

Lane Elenburg, 24: “I’m a big guy, so I know that I have to find a smart guy,” says the oil rig salesman from Decatur, Texas. “I have to find a ‘brain’ for the ‘meat head.’ ” –Reagan Alexander